LemonScented Bath Salts of Fate & Time
by kashudoreineko
Summary: How does fate get four stubborn people to face up to their feelings? How about a nice hot bath! MxS, IxK - LEMONS
1. ch1 Fate Steps In

Lemon-scented Bath Salts of Fate & Time.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters. I make no profit off this story other than the ability to sleep at night because it's not longer pinging around in my skull.

This story was written in response to the Makin' Lemonaide week 37 challenge: "Splish, Splash, I was takin' a bath," do it in the tub, the shower, the sink? Oh, and if the practical joke theme wins this week, you can take it as answer to THAT, too! I did have that theme in mind when writing it.

Sometimes the theme just takes over and won't stop. This is one of those times. This started out as me not being able to decide whether to make the story be a practical joke or not, and whether to use IY x KAG or SAN x MIR. Finally, with encouragement from Gretel-chan, I decided to do both.

So YOU get extra long fic to read – with chapters and everything!

Chapter 1 – Fate steps in & sets things up

One hand raised itself, but stopped short of touching long raven tresses. Stopped because said raven tresses were coated in a layer of gore about a half inch deep. Bits of the blood-red mess dripped off the ends of her hair and slopped next to her shoes with a sickening PLAP.

But it wasn't the sliminess. It wasn't that she had splotches of what was once a living being all over her. It was the smell that was getting to her. It wasn't as bad as getting sprayed with skunk - which took a month to wear off unless you soaked in tomato juice for about 5 hours. But she thought that if she didn't know this smell would come off when she washed, she might think it was worse. Apparently, this particular demon was ill. Dying, actually. Had thought to itself, "What the hell have I got to lose? If I get a shard, at least I'll live!" And the illness in its flesh was what made that flesh reek.

'For once, I'm glad I don't have Inuyasha's nose. But at least he's not covered in it like me. And Sango. Sheesh. Why is it only us girls who ever get covered in ick when we slay these things?' She looked over at Sango, who was sporting an expression of distaste that clearly matched her own.

'If I didn't know better, I'd think that Miroku was bribing Inuyasha to wait to use his Windscar until he knew that Sango and I were in the direct path of fallout - so that he could sneak in to watch us bathe!' Giving the monk a glare, the look she got in return was so innocent, so, 'What'd I do?' that she knew she'd stumbled onto the truth.

"Sango. I'm going home to take a bath," she declared loudly.

Grimacing, the demon slayer responded, "Would you not rather accompany me to the hot spring?"

She smiled softly to let her friend know that it wasn't that she didn't want to bathe with her friend. "Um. I really really want a hot shower. I feel so gross right now, and I think I just want a piece of home."

Sango's gentle smile let Kagome know that no feelings were hurt. "I understand. I wish that I could join YOU there."

Turning toward the well, she called, "I'll be back later to take care of Shippo. OH! And be careful. I think a certain hentai monk may have peeping on his mind!" She stuck her tongue out at the monk, then walked to the well. He had the good grace to feign astonishment, but Kagome could see him gulping and wondering how she knew.

"I shall make certain that he stays away from the spring while I bathe. And I'll make sure Shippo knows you'll be back later." The kitsune had snuck a bunch of candy out of Kagome's pack earlier that day and had been stuck at Kaede's with a stomach ache while the latest fight had ensued.

She sat on the edge of the well and was turning to swing her legs over the lip when she heard, "OI! Where do you think YOU're going, wench?"

"I'm going home to clean up, Inuyasha."

"You can't leave yet. We have work to do."

"If YOU hadn't waited to use your Windscar until I was right in the fallout zone for demon guts, I wouldn't have to go back to bathe. What did Miroku promise you, anyway?"

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about." She would have believed him if he hadn't swallowed and cast a quick evil glance at the monk. "Why the hell do you have to go through the well to bathe anyway?"

"Because I LIKE a nice hot shower every now and then - not that it matters. I'm going!"

"Okay, then, I'll come with you."

"You've been hanging around Miroku too much. Like I'm gonna let you hang around while I shower?"

"Who said anything about that? I just want to get away from the stink and get some ramen." His nose was quivering. If it smelled this bad to her, how bad must it be for his dog nose?

She almost relented, but she saw Miroku trying to not look like he cared whether the hanyou left or stayed. Which meant that he knew he'd have a harder time sneaking after Sango if the half-demon stayed behind.

"Inuyasha, someone has to clean up after this mess. I know it's hard on your nose, but I'm sure the townsfolk will help if Kaede and Miroku ask them. They'll want to be rid of the stench that much faster. Just stay upwind and keep on eye on Miroku so he doesn't sneak off to go spying on Sango as she bathes. I'll bring back some ramen when I'm done."

Miroku attempted to appear innocent and offended. "Lady Kagome, I really must protest. I would never think of shirking my duties. And as for the intimation that I would be so low as to SPY on the lovely Sango, I assure you that, while the beauty of our demon slayer in all her glory would be an image that would keep even the coldest heart warm for the rest of one's life, to attempt such a feat would indicate a baseness of character that I am offended you would attribute to me." He put on a sad face. "I thought we were friends."

With a snort, Inuyasha interrupted, "Feh! Yeah right. Baka bouzo just knows that if he tried spyin' on her, Sango'd beat him within an inch of his life!"

"Oh, how you wound me. I am all alone in the world."

"Yeah, right. It's your own fault for being a pervert." Sango had caught the gist of the conversation and walked over to interject. "Anyway, I'll keep an eye on the monk until the mess is cleaned up. And I'll have Kaede join me at the bath."

Inuyasha snorted at the monk's discomfort. 'No way he'd try to sneak a peek if he might accidentally be peeking at the old hag naked. Hah!'

"Well, if you're going to stay to help, I'll stay, too." Even though she really just wanted to jump through the well and get clean, if Sango was going to stick it out, she'd stick it out as well.

Without looking her in the eye, Sango shifted her weight on her feet. "Um... Well, actually Kagome, I was thinking that it might be best if you and Inuyasha visited your home while WE clean up." She saw Kagome's startlement and continued by bowing toward the dog hanyou. "It's just that... Well, the villagers can be foolish, and some of them don't really understand that - just like humans, demons and hanyou come in all sorts of varieties. Some are," she smiled gently at her half-demon companion, "recklessly brave, good, and loyal." She looked back at Kagome apologetically. "And others are selfish, vindictive and have no regard for others or even respect for life."

"That is quite true," the bouzo interjected. "There are those in the village who have reaped the benefits of living under the protection of a powerful hanyou and would still react with prejudice and hatred toward that same hanyou. It is foolish. But it is the way people are. Perhaps Sango is correct in suggesting that they will be more amenable to assisting us in the clean-up if he were not there to trigger such irrational reactions."

"Keh! Whatever!" Kagome's heart was heavy for him. No matter what he did, people still treated him like an outsider. It was unfair. "Well, wench, what're you waiting for?"

She turned to see him standing on the lip of the well. Shaking her head, she turned back to wave at her friends. "Thanks, guys! Be back soon!" And she jumped into the future.

X


	2. ch2 Fate Adds Bath Salts

Lemon-scented Bath Salts of Fate & Time.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters. I make no profit off this story other than the ability to sleep at night because it's not longer pinging around in my skull.

Chapter 2 – Fate adds some bath salts

She climbed out of the well and a second later heard the flash that meant her hanyou had followed.

Opening the door to the well house, she strode out into the yard and over to where her mom kept the garden hose. Knowing he'd follow, she turned on the water pressure and grabbed the nozzle end, walking it over to the dog boy.

"Actually, I'm kinda glad you're here," she said. His quickly suppressed smile made her glad she'd said that. "THIS! Is a garden hose. I don't want to track all this ick into my mom's house. So I'm going to go stand over there," she pointed toward a row of bushes, "and if you can take this, and point it at me and squeeze the trigger." She demonstrated, and he jumped when the water sprayed out of the nozzle with great force. "That way, we can rinse the worst of it off me."

She held out the nozzle and he hesitantly took it from her. Then she turned and began walking toward the bushes.

Before she could even turn around, he squeezed down on the handle, and the water blasted a chunk of goo off her thigh.

"GAH! Inuyasha! You were supposed to wait til I was ready for it!"

He continued to hose her off as she sputtered at him. "Why? What difference would that make? There was stuff on your back, and now it's gone, right?"

She slowly spun, and he continued to spray her. The motion of the hose went lazily up and down her torso, and she realized that her clothes were clinging to her in places that they normally wouldn't. The motion of the hose on her made her feel almost like she was in one of those cheesy music videos, and a sudden urge to lean forward and make a sexy face hit her. She began laughing at the thought. Then she started dancing around, shivering, as Inuyasha lifted the spray to hit her head, rinsing off the biggest chunks that were in her hair.

He released the handle and the water stopped. Running back to him, she took the hose, hung it up where it belonged and turned off the water pressure. Her arms hugged her body. "C-c-c-c-COLD!" Teeth chattering, she ran toward the house.

Inuyasha slowly followed.

Her clothing had been sticking to her in places. He'd had a hard time not staring. Those places... sometimes at night, he'd catch a whiff of her while he was asleep, and the dreams he had... Those places featured prominently in those dreams.

He had kept his demon in check though. The odor of the dead demon had helped. It hadn't hidden her pure Kagome smell. But its presence was still there. Which was good. Otherwise, that sight, combined with her scent...

Once, long ago, he had been reminded of Kikyo by her smell. But it was just a remembrance. Kagome's scent was cleaner. Purer. The two were similar in the way that the smell of flour smells KIND OF like the smell of loaves of fresh whole wheat bread baking. One was a nice smell. The other made you drool. Okay, maybe there really wasn't any comparison.

Entering the house, he closed the door behind him. He saw Kagome's shoes, sodden, by the door. Wet footprints and cast off drops of water left a trail on the floor. Oooh. Her mother wouldn't appreciate that.

He entered the kitchen and opened the drawer from which he'd seen Mrs. Higurashi produce towels as needed. Sure enough, he found one, and taking it, began to wipe up the Kagome trail. He started in the kitchen and worked toward the back door. Then turned around, and followed the path she'd left, wiping it clean as he went.

The footprints led up to her bedroom door, and disappeared behind it. But the door was closed. Sighing, he knocked gently. When there wasn't a response, he opened the door. Yup. The wetness continued into her room before turning back toward the bathroom. He wiped up the trail til the point where he was standing, hunched over, in between her bed and her desk.

"WHAT'RE YOU DOING?" She screeched at him, and his ears flattened back toward his skull. He straightened up, still holding the now fairly soaked rag in one hand and looked at her, helplessly. She was wearing nothing but a towel, and holding it tightly closed around herself. She looked horrified. He'd thought she'd be pleased that he'd bothered to clean up after her.

When he stood up, still holding the rag, her brain didn't compute. Had he snuck in to peek on her? Why was he holding a rag? She looked at the floor. It was mostly dry. 'OH. Oh my god. He was cleaning up after me.'

"Did you... Did you clean up all of it?" Her eyes were wide as she looked at him. She didn't look horrified any more. And she smelled surprised and pleased.

He looked down at the floor blushing slightly, embarrassed. "I got all the water up off the floor in the kitchen and on the stairs. I didn't think your mom would like it if we left it."

Her face crinkled up in that smile that she only got when somehow he'd managed to do something right. 'Wow. Who'd've thought just wiping up some footprints would make her so happy?'

"Thank you, Inuyasha." She was beaming at him. And her scent... was making him...

"What're you waiting for? Go take your damn shower before you catch a cold from bein' all wet!" He yelled at her as if she were an idiot, and her scent became laced with disappointment. That was easier to deal with at least. At least with the acrid smell of her disapproval, he wouldn't be tempted into doing something stupid.

"Oh. Right." 'Why did I even bother worrying that he was trying to sneak in on me. He doesn't feel about me like that.' She couldn't suppress a small sigh. "I'm going to have to do some laundry when I'm done bathing. If you'd like, there's a yukata that my mom made for you in my closet. You can put that on, and I'll wash up your clothes too, if you like." 'I am the biggest idiot on the planet.'

He watched as the door to the bathroom closed behind her.

It always made him nervous knowing that she spent so much time in that room. The floor was slippery in there, and the layout seemed to be designed to support natural selection - anyone with a case of klutziness could sustain serious damage. And Kagome - though she was brave beyond words - often seemed to trip or slip on nothing. Shaking his head, he decided he'd wait in her room. That way he'd be nearby if she needed him.

Opening her closet, he saw a bright red yukata hanging. This had to be the one she was talking about. Her mother had told him he looked good in red. Which was just another reason to like the woman. And Kagome would have been swimming in this yukata.

As he stripped off his haori and pants, he tried to force the image of Kagome smiling at him in nothing but his new yukata out of his brain. Why did that image make him feel funny? He sat on the floor by her bed to wait for her.

X

"I am sorry, Lady Sango, but one of the women in the village is giving birth, and I cannot accompany you to the bath today."

Blushing, she whispered to the miko, "Could you... maybe pretend you were accompanying me? Then that hentai monk won't follow..."

Hiding her smile, the older woman assented. Raising her voice, she declared, "It is high time we bathed and removed the stench of that foul demon from us. Shall we go, Lady Sango?"

In an equally loud voice, "Thank you, Lady Kaede. Nothing would please me more."

They walked toward the spring together until they were out of sight of Miroku.

"Here I must leave you."

"Thank you so much for your help, Kaede."

And the two went their separate ways - one toward town, the other toward the pursuit of cleanliness.

X

Back near the well, the townsfolk and Miroku watched the two women as they walked away.

"That's odd." One of the men had a puzzled look on his face as he watched.

"What's odd, Namiki-san?"

Cocking his head, he stared after the women. "Well, Tanaka Suki-san is in labor, and Kaede just told me that she'd be leaving from here to go attend to the birth. Do you suppose she's becoming senile? Or did we finish so quickly that she thought she'd have time to bathe before going back to the village?"

Miroku smiled broadly. "I would wager that the Lady Kaede will arrive at the birth promptly. And to be certain, I'll just go check up on them."

A couple of the smarter townsmen laughed at that. The remainder took him at face value and nodded.

Whistling a little tune, he sauntered jauntily down the path toward the spring.

X


	3. ch3 Fate's Big Idea

Lemon-scented Bath Salts of Fate & Time.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters. I make no profit off this story other than the ability to sleep at night because it's not longer pinging around in my skull.

Chapter 3 – Fate takes an idea and puts it to use

As she arrived in the clearing by the spring, she'd pulled her everyday kimono out of her bag and set it so it would be handy upon concluding her bath. Then, she'd walked into the water fully clothed in her gore encrusted demon-slaying attire. Submersing herself, she began scrubbing herself all over, loosening the dried bits and rinsing them off. Once she felt the bulk had been flushed off of her, she took off her clothes while still in the water.

Laughing, she chastised herself, 'Getting undressed underwater. The one time I can be fairly certain that no one's looking, and here I am stripping underwater. I know the clothes needed the rinse, but it just feels a little bit ironic.' Once she had the clothes off, she used a fern to scrub up a lather, making sure that her uniform was nice and clean.

(AN: Ferns really do produce a lather when you get them damp and rub them. This is not just something that General Hospital made up during the Luke and Laura on the island of Dr. Shrinker-with-the-winter-ray-gun-Cassadine saga. I've actually tested it in the real world and it DOES indeed work. Although the level of cleanliness it produces is questionable.)

Next up, her own bad self. Using her fingernails, she lightly scrubbed herself all over - spending extra time on her hair and scalp. She took great care to stay upstream, as it were, from the demon detritus, which eventually floated to one side of the spring and was trapped by some reeds. Soon, she felt herself as clean as it was possible to be in feudal Japan.

Settling back in the water with a sigh, Sango breathed a sigh of relief. It was truly amazing how much better it felt once she was able to remove the foul drippings from her skin, hair, and clothes. Sometimes, she really envied Kagome. Her time-traveling friend had described to her modern showers and baths. It sounded absolutely heavenly.

Still, bathing under an open sky had its advantages. During the day, the sun beat down and its warmth filled you while you refreshed yourself. 'And,' she thought, 'while indoor plumbing sounds wonderful, Kagome can't feel the warm spring breeze tickling her skin while the stars are twinkling overhead.' Kagome hadn't had the heart to tell her about skylights.

Smiling, she gazed upward. The stars were just becoming visible - the brightest ones just bare twinklings in the darkening indigo sky. 'If only Miroku truly cared about me. But all he wants is someone to bear his child. And I could not stand that - not without love.

'If he loved me, he'd talk about romantic things - like pulling down all the stars in the sky just to see me smile.' Reaching up, she pretended she could gather the stars to her. He'd said something to some maid in some town once that was something like that. And hearing it, she'd felt her heart break. 'He's never even asked me to bear him a child. He's asked everyone else - even Kagome. But not me.'

'I know Kagome thinks he cares about me, but... if so, then why does he not act awkward and silly like Inuyasha does around Kagome.' A picture of Miroku calling her an idiot and storming away just to try to cover that he'd let something slip that might show that he cared made her bark a laugh. "HAH!"

'Why is it that every time I'm naked, I think of that pervert.' She drew a deep breath before rationalizing, 'I'm just... protecting myself. Because he's a hentai. And he might sneak up. It has nothing to do with anything else. And I certainly don't WANT to think of his broad shoulders and his strong chin.

'Or his big chocolate eyes. Or how forceful he is whenever we're challenged. Or the way he uses his curse to protect those he loves - like that time he used the wind tunnel to suck up all those poisonous bees so I wouldn't be stung...'

She blushed furiously. 'That did NOT mean he loves me like that - it was... just as a companion, I'm sure.' Disappointment painted her face. She stared back up at the sky again longingly.

A shooting star blazed across the darkening sky, and she reached out to try to catch it with both hands so she could make a wish on it - the wish of her heart already formed, if not given words.

As she reached, she rose a bit from the spring. Her breasts never quite cleared the water, but they did rise out about quarter-way. That's when she heard it.

X

As he neared listening distance of the spring, his whistling stopped. But his grin remained firmly on his face.

He'd seen their footprints. Kaede clearly had parted with Sango after they were no longer visible from the well, and continued on toward the village. Sango's footprints continued toward the spring.

'It's just not safe for a woman to bathe unguarded. While Sango is quite fierce,' he flushed from imagining her fierceness tempered and shaped into passion, 'she is still a lovely lady. It would be wrong to leave her unguarded where anyone could happen upon her unaware.' He began picking his way quietly through the foliage to find a good vantage spot from which he could observe. 'And with as shy as she usually is about these things, it is always possible that she could potentially be too flustered to defend her virtue. Therefore, I must act as her guardian.' Nodding to himself as he continued sneaking through the brush, 'My honor simply demands it.' Ah. Isn't rationalization wonderful.

Finally settling in, he saw her rise, her back toward him. She stopped before the water became any lower than waist deep - so all he could see was her bare back as she laid her slayer uniform on a rock to dry.

His eyes were glued to her. All he could really see was her head and her arms, and a vague outline of the rest of her under the water. But still. How many times had he risked bodily harm just to obtain the slightest touch?

She still hadn't realized yet that each time he "groped" her, his hand was in a slightly different place. It was never like that for any other girl. Because he really didn't care about any other girl. But with her, he wanted to learn every inch. Each touch - even though it invariably ended with his lights punched out - was seared into his memory. Inch by inch, he was memorizing her.

And in his dreams, he remembered her more vividly. Each touch. His imaginative mind filled in the blanks in a quite realistic fashion - rarely did he have to make adjustments once a new area was branded into him.

So the lack of transparency in the water really made no difference. His mind's eye filled in everything.

She finished scrubbing and sank against a rock with a sigh. As she smiled, he couldn't help but smile back. He was sure that she had no clue he was there. Otherwise she wouldn't smile like that. She must feel relieved to have that gore off of her.

In honesty, he didn't know how she had lasted so long. If he had been the one covered in that nastiness, he might not have been able to wait until the clean-up was done to bathe. Truly, Inuyasha needed to learn how to be more careful with his Windscar!

But she never shirked a responsibility. She was the strongest woman he'd ever met. He didn't know it, but his expression softened, got dreamy, as he thought about her. She was, in every sense of the word as he could figure it, perfect.

The only thing was, she hadn't figured out that he felt that way about her.

Women were such beautiful creatures. Stronger than men, and yet more delicate. And they had a need to feel appreciated, cherished. So many women never felt that way - never knew how lovely they were. So at a fairly young age, he'd decided that it was important to do something to make them feel special. Unfortunately, his first attempts led to the women believing that he wished for something serious.

Eventually it came to him that levity was the key. He could make each woman feel beautiful - while making them feel like he was a flirtatious fool - by asking them to bear his child. Most of them would roll their eyes or call him a pervert, but he could see it - they felt pretty and special for his asking. And with the exception of a few very young girls, none ever took him seriously.

In his journeys, he'd met many beautiful women. There was only one who'd stolen his heart. And so, he never asked her his silly flirtatious question. Because that would have... just felt wrong.

But one day... if the gods were kind and removed his curse, one day he would ask her the question he'd never asked any other woman. To become his wife. But not until the curse was gone. He would not willingly pass it down to her child. Not even if it meant never knowing her love. That would just be too cruel to do to a woman as perfect as her.

Lost in his thoughts, he had no way of knowing that as his expression became first wistful and then sad, it was perfectly matched to the one he was spying on - as if they were capturing each other's thoughts.

Abruptly, Sango let loose a loud, "HAH!", startling him from his reverie. Quickly focusing on her, he saw that she had on the face that she wore when she was berating herself. 'What could she possibly be thinking about?' She smiled shyly. 'There's no way she could possibly be thinking about me.' But the look on her face made him wish it. Even more so when she blushed.

He could feel himself stirring. God she was just so beautiful. And then, she gasped and looked at the sky. A shooting star blazed through the darkness. He saw her reach out like she wanted to catch it and make a wish on it. And as she reached, her breasts - he hadn't ever seen them, although he had touched parts of them before being smacked unconscious - rose from the water. Riveted, he didn't realize that he'd gasped aloud.

X

She knew the sound instantly. 'Miroku! That damned hentai!' Coming to sneak a peek again. 'I guess I shouldn't be surprised that he figured out our deception. But still! That damned monk needs to be taught a lesson.'

With a deep breath, she forced her expression to relax, and her eyes to wander to the stars. 'Can't let him know I know he's here. Otherwise I won't be able to figure out how to make him pay!'

Now to think of something. 'If I know him, he'd just say that he was keeping his back turned, but standing guard at the spring as a level of protection - that he's only here in order to make sure I stay safe.

'Hmmm. Stay safe. I could expose him for spying if I caught him in the act. And I can do that by pretending to slip on the rocks. OH, and if I were to "hit my head"!' She reached under the water and cautiously grasped a rock in either hand. "He'll think I'm in danger and expose himself!"

Smiling, she turned toward her kimono. "Well, I guess it's about time to get dressed." She pitched her voice to carry, but to not seem like she was speaking loudly. Turning her back to him, she slid to a slightly deeper part of the spring and then stood up. The curve of her hips was just visible above the water. Her hands were in front of her holding the rocks. Taking a step toward her kimono, she pretended to slip. As she splashed forward in the water, she brought the rocks together - they made a dull THUNK sound. And then, she allowed herself to sink toward the bottom of the pool of water.

She knew he couldn't see her as she swam underwater to a place hidden from Miroku's vantage point by some rocks. There, she sat and waited. It didn't take but a second or two.

X

That noise.

No.

That noise couldn't be right. His Sango would never be damaged by something like a slip in the bath. She was strong.

But he'd HEARD the noise. Seen her fall into the water. And then disappear.

Without a word, he burst from his hiding spot and ran at full tilt toward the spring. There was no thought in his head except that he had to save her. He'd give his own life. If the gods were merciful in any way, they'd take his life and spare her.

He'd never run so fast in his life - he was a blur to match Kouga. He jumped fully clothed into the spring and began to search for her under the water. He couldn't find her. Turning, frantically, he had to find her-

"AH-HAH!" Sango jumped out from behind the rock where she was hiding. Her right forefinger was pointed up in accusation. She'd caught him spying. On her bathing. Naked.

X


	4. ch4 500 Years Is Long Enough

Lemon-scented Bath Salts of Fate & Time.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters. I make no profit off this story other than the ability to sleep at night because it's not longer pinging around in my skull.

Chapter 4 – 500 years is long enough for Fate to recycle her ideas

Waiting was one of his least favorite activities - but one he'd started to become used to since Kagome entered his life. His fire-rat haori, along with the rest of his clothes were in a neat pile, awaiting Kagome's return from the bath. Then he'd help her with laundry.

Leaning back against her bed, he sighed, inhaling deeply. This room was his favorite place. Besides the Goshinbuku. When he sat in this room, her scent was the only thing he could smell. It was HER room. So comforting to feel nestled snug inside her scent. And the yukata her mother had made had obviously been in this room for some time - she may have even worn it once or twice, because the smell on it was all Kagome. He pulled it tighter around his otherwise naked form and breathed deep.

It would be better, though, would smell more right, if a bit of his smell were laced through it all. That would be perfect. To have the room smell like the two of them.

He snapped himself out of his thoughts. What he'd just been imagining... It wasn't ever going to happen. The only way for her scent to mix with his like that would be if she became his mate. He couldn't let himself think that she would ever allow that. That she would ever be his mate. His mate...

Again, he pictured those parts where the clothes had been clinging. They were out in the yard, and she was wet, and he stalked over to her, growling possessively. "Inuyasha," she'd question, "What's wrong?" And he'd respond, "Standing in wet clothes is bad for you." And then his claws would slash down the front of her garment, between her breasts, shredding them and leaving her standing before him, shivering and with nothing between them. "You're cold now, but I'll warm you," he'd say, and she'd smile at him and say, "I've wanted you to warm me for so long." And he'd pull her naked form to his, embracing her, lifting her chin so that his lips could capture -

'DAMMIT!' Now he was having dreams while he was awake. This just couldn't be good for him. He wanted to take a few deep breaths to calm the parts of him that were apparently overexcited by his own stupid imagination, but he knew that would just draw in more of her scent and would have the opposite effect from what was intended.

Instead, he forced himself to repeat the facts of life as he knew them. He was nothing but a dirty hanyou. A beautiful, strong, smart, funny, pure miko like Kagome would never want him the way he wanted her. She loved him as a friend. There was no way he'd risk that. He didn't even deserve THAT much. No. He'd just stay by her side and protect her.

He leaned his head back, resigned to waiting some more.

X

Her forehead rested against the shower wall, the steamy water cascaded down her neck, shoulders, back, soothing away the chill from the cold hose water.

'Why do I keep doing this to myself? The more time I spend with him, the more time I spend thinking things I shouldn't. I mean, just because he cleans up after you, you let yourself think he LIKES you? He just didn't want to face the wrath of mom!'

She stood and let the water blast her in the face, then bent for her shampoo. It was new. There was a light citrus scent, but it was all natural, so the fragrance shouldn't bother him.

And there it was again. Even without thinking she found herself doing things that she thought he'd like. From picking out a new shampoo and soap, to switching to the brand of ramen he liked best, to wearing more greens since he'd once commented when something she wore matched her eyes. He hadn't said he'd liked it. Just that it was the same color. No further commentary. But that color had become a staple. That and red. She knew he liked red best.

'Why can't I stop myself? I do things I think he'll like, when I KNOW that he couldn't care less. I know, we're friends - I may be the first friend he ever had...

'That's really depressing. It pisses me off that no one else ever bothered to see how funny and bold he is. And he's a quick learner, too. AND he doesn't judge people.

'Oh, great, Kagome! Let's list off all his assets when we're trying NOT to think about him. Might as well add in his adorable ears that are so soft, and his pretty hair - God, if only MY hair were that nice! And let's not forget his strong back that we get to climb up on for every trip. If I just shifted a bit, I could wrap my legs around...

'NOT GOOD! Okay, first off, he doesn't want you like that. Okay. Just get over it. He loves Kikyo, and not you. Just because you're in love with him does not mean he'll EVER love you! Okay?

'FINE! And you know you're just lucky that he hasn't ever noticed that riding on his back gets you... excited.

'God,' she felt the water running over her, caressing the hollow between her breasts, 'if I ever did wrap my legs around him, he'd feet how hot I get. Heh. He'd probably just think I had a fever and was getting sick on him or something.'

In her mind, she pictured him turning to her, "Kagome, are you alright? You seem to have a fever." His eyes would be looking into hers - Oh, that's right. While going over his attributes, she neglected those warm amber eyes that were like dancing flames. Just looking into them could make you melt and be happy about it -and she'd be trapped in there. She'd reply, "It's just you." And then she'd lean toward him her legs tightening around his waist. And he'd...

Look at her like she was crazy.

'I keep doing this! This is beyond stupid! HE. Doesn't. Like me. Okay? We're just friends.'

Making quick work with soap and sponge, she washed the remainder of her body angrily. Then turned off the flow of water. Pulling back the shower curtain, she looked over to the furo that she'd filled up with hot water and bath salts before she even turned on the shower.

The idea had been to scrub the ick off in the shower, and then let the hot tub sooth some of her muscles. Was it even worth it to go in there now? Wouldn't she just start fantasizing about him again?

OOOOH. A fantasy about him JOINING her in the tub. That'd be good!

'NO! No, it most definitely would NOT be good. You need to face facts, girl, not keep living in a dream world.

'You know what? I DO know the facts. That's WHY I fantasize. Because it's never going to happen. And if it's never going to happen, I may as well enjoy the fantasies while I can so just shut up!

'This is great. Now I'm developing a split personality!' She stuck out her tongue at herself in her mind.

'You know what? Screw it. Why CAN'T I enjoy the fantasy. I know that's all it is. What further damage could it possibly do?' Having no answer to that question, she nodded to herself.

Now to figure out how she would get the hanyou in the other room to join her in the bath. Not in reality - just in her mind. ' Oh. Maybe if he had been splattered with demon, too. No. That would be icky. Hmmm. It's a fantasy, right. So... he just wants me and sneaks into the bath while I'm already there soaking. Yeah...'

She stepped over the lip of the tub, and lifted her other foot to step the rest of the way in. That's when her first foot slipped out from under her. With nothing to grab onto, her arms flapped as she fell backward. "AAAAAaaah!" She yelped and then felt her head hit the tub's edge. And then all thought was gone.

X

The sound of water had stopped. 'Good. She'll be done in just a couple of minutes, and we can get out of here. I hate sitting in her room like this.' He'd gotten very good at lying to himself since he'd met her. Actually, to be fair, he'd been pretty good at lying to himself even before he met her. But his level of impatience had definitely increased.

Tapping his foot idly, he started staring at her bathroom door, waiting for her to exit. 'What the hell is taking her so long? It doesn't take this long to dry off!' Frustrated, he stood up. Not because he planned on going in after her - that would be a bad plan. Naked Kagome would result in hanyou losing control. But his standing gave him something to do. Moving was good when frustrated. Perhaps pacing would even be in order.

"Aaaah!" THUNK.

There wasn't even a second of hesitation. If there was one thing he knew, it was trouble when he heard it. Or saw it. That bathroom was trouble. That sound more so.

He lunged at the door and almost ripped it off it's hinges (for those who are big into traditional Japanese houses, you can read this "threw it off it's track") in his haste. As soon as the door was open, he was bombarded with the smell of clean Kagome. There was also a bit of herbs and... lemons and oranges? But mostly, it was just clean Kagome. His heart began to race.

No one was yelling at him for busting in, so he scanned the room. His heart froze for a nanosecond as he processed the scene. Then in a single bound, he jumped in the furo.

She was floating on her back, unconscious. He sniffed and could smell no blood. Sitting in the water so that he could pull her up to him, he would make sure she was breathing. If she wasn't, he would get her out of the water and do that thing he'd seen on the box with pictures that moved. This guy pressed on this woman's chest because she wasn't breathing, and then blew air into her mouth. It was like he was forcing air in and out of her lungs, and by doing so her lungs remembered that was what they were supposed to do.

This thought took place in the amount of time it took to sit and grab her. He held her, cradled in his arms, and immediately felt her breath on his cheek. Thank god.

Part of his brain registered that he was holding a naked Kagome in his lap. Touching her. His yukata had come untied in his haste to get to her. He didn't really know how to wear one of those things anyway - his pants and shirt were more practical - so he hadn't tied it properly shut. So her skin was now touching his. His legs supporting her firm bottom and thighs, her shoulder pressed against his chest.

But that didn't matter now. She was breathing, and that was good. But she wasn't awake, and that was not good. With a touch as light as a feather, his fingers traced the back of her head. There was a bump on it, as expected, but it wasn't too bad.

So why wasn't she waking up?

What if she never woke up? That happened sometimes. People hit their heads and they didn't die right away - they just slept until they faded out of life. And that breathing reminder thing didn't work if the person was already breathing.

'No. No no no no no.' He lightly slapped her face, but she didn't respond.

"No. Kagome. Wake up.

"Wake up, Kagome. Come on, Kagome, get up."

He rested his forehead against hers. "You're stronger than this, Kagome. You're the strongest person I've ever known. You can't do this. You gotta wake up."

Suddenly, he became very certain this was it. It was just his luck. She'd die because of a stupid fall in the danger room. He knew he hated this room from the moment he first saw it.

"You can't leave me, Kagome. I'll do anything you want. Don't leave me. Please!"

He didn't realize that his eyes were slowly leaking. "Please, Kagome, wake up. I'll do anything. Please."

He shook her a little bit. "Wake UP, Kagome! Wake UP!"

Crushing her to him tightly, "Please wake up, Kagome. I need you. I need you."

His tears were bathing her shoulder. "Please don't leave me, Kagome.

"Please. I love you."

X


	5. ch5 Fate's Plan Pays Off Pt1

Lemon-scented Bath Salts of Fate & Time.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters. I make no profit off this story other than the ability to sleep at night because it's not longer pinging around in my skull.

Chapter 5 – Fate's plan pays off – part 1

It was as if a bucket of red paint that magically only affected skin had been poured over her head.

She was standing, buck-naked, waving an accusing finger, in front of the man she'd believed had been trying to see her naked. It had been difficult work over the years, keeping him from being completely successful in his spying attempts. And now, he would never have a need to spy again. All he would need to do was close his eyes and remember.

But just as she was about to go "Eep" and jump under the water to hide, he turned his back on her. HE turned his back on HER! Did he really not want to see her naked? Was he horrified at what he saw?

And then he spoke. Very quietly. "That may have been the cruelest thing I've ever witnessed in my life."

She was stunned. "Wha-"

"Alright. You proved that I've been trying to spy on you. Wow. Great feat. What male who is capable of sight wouldn't want to see you? I admit it. I have longed greatly to see you naked.

"But THAT was beyond cruel." He stood frozen for a moment, as cold as his voice, and she remained speechless.

"I will leave you now. I would suggest that you get dressed and get back to town. Shippo will want someone to be with him while Kaede is off at the birth."

He was furious with her. Why was HE mad at HER? She was the one being spied on. She wanted to maintain her own righteous fury, but the thought that he was mad at her made it impossible. It felt like she'd betrayed him somehow.

"Miroku. Why - why are you so angry?" She was puzzled, but her voice sounded even more timid than she would have thought possible.

"Why am I angry?" His voice started soft, but began to rise in pitch. "WHY am I ANGRY?" He spun to face her and screamed, "I thought you were DEAD!" His eyes blazed at her.

"You..." she began.

"Do you have any idea how FRIGHTENED I was? Any idea at ALL? And it was all just a JOKE?" As he shouted at her, his words continued without thought. "If you died, WHAT would I have to live for? The wind tunnel might as well just swallow me whole! There would be no point in even TRYING to break the curse."

Her eyes were huge things. "What are you saying?" she whispered.

Her eyes were huge and staring at him. She was standing in front of him, completely naked, not trying to cover herself up. Her body was straining forward toward an unexpected hope. How could she be standing in front of him like that. Without appearing to rove over her, he captured all of her beauty in his eyes. And his mind remembered the words that he'd just spoken.

Well. There it was. "Are you still trying to pretend that you don't know how I feel about you, Sango?"

"How you feel about me?"

He gave an exasperated sigh in response.

"You... I'm just a friend. You... don't feel anything for me." Her protest was weak and faltering.

Fixing her with his gaze, "I am in love with you, Sango. You are the only one I love. The only woman I've EVER loved."

"But... But..." she sputtered, "You ask every woman you meet to bear your child and you've never asked me. You... You want THEM. All of THEM..."

A guttural noise escaped him. "Do you honestly think any of those women would EVER take me seriously? What kind of woman would agree to give birth to a child that would be born cursed!" He held up his hand.

"But you never asked ME..." her voice had never sounded whiny before. She would swear that this was the first.

He threw up his hands in exasperation. "You'd have said NO. And it would have HURT. Don't you get it?" He turned and began to walk away.

He was walking away. Her heart was running a marathon. It was time to catch up. Two quick strides put her in range, and she reached out to grab his shoulder as she blurted out, "I wouldn't have said no!"

Her hand on his shoulder. Her words. He turned toward her, her eyes were pleading.

"I..." She gave it up and threw herself at his lips. Her arms embracing him.

Naked Sango was kissing him.

Naked Sango was kissing him.

Naked Sango was pressed up against him and kissing him.

His reality check kicked in, and he placed his hands on her shoulders. His lips didn't willingly release hers, but his arms still pushed her away. He was leaning toward her trying to prolong the kiss even as his arms forced the contact to break.

He was pushing her away. He said he loved her, but he was pushing her away.

"Oh my god. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." She turned from him, and sank under the water, unable to withstand his scrutiny. She wanted to disappear. She misunderstood. He didn't want her. The idea of her refusing to bear his child hurt, but he didn't want her. Okay. Except her brain kept telling her that this didn't compute. "I'm sorry I made you mad. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I kissed you. I'm sorry." She heard her voice rambling, but had no idea who was telling it to speak. "I just thought... But you said... I just wanted..."

Then quietly, he interrupted. "What kind of man would give the woman he loves a child destined to be cursed, Sango? I could never do that to you."

She spun, still underwater, and looked up at him. "I don't care about THAT! I LOVE you!" Both hands flew to her mouth to cover her gasp as he stared at her. She'd said it. She'd admitted it. Holy crap.

Meeting his eyes, she forced her hands down. Then she nodded to herself. And then stood.

The water rippled down her body. "I love you, Miroku." She strode toward him. "Do you love me?"

God, she was stunning! He nodded. "I do."

"Are you mad at me still?" Her voice was a purr, and he shivered in response.

All he could do was shake his head no.

"Then why don't you join me for a bath?" Her hands began to work at loosening, removing his clothes.

He couldn't though. "But I can't curse your child..."

Continuing to undress him, "Would you love me til the day I died?"

"Yes."

"Would you love our child?"

"Yes."

"Then I am yours, Miroku. Who else would I have?" Sliding his upper garments off him, she threw them to land on the rock next to her uniform. "We'll break the curse together."

Her breasts flattened against his bare chest as he pulled her into his embrace. "Oh, Sango," he breathed in her ear, and she delighted in the shivers that it caused. "If you are truly mine, then... Will you consent to be my wife?"

Her tears bathed his chest. "From this moment on, if you'll have me," she breathed.

His arms tightened around her. "From this moment on, wife. Although, I would like to have Kaede make it official."

She smiled as she snuggled in his embrace. "Whatever you wish, husband." Her hands began to stroke his back. "But I suppose you'll want to wait til it's official then?" She smirked against his chest.

Her fingertips were apparently made of lightning that danced along his skin, and he moaned.

"If that is what YOU wish," his voice was a guttural groan.

Having run out of bare back in their downward dance, her electric fingers skittered along his waist, playing under the edge of his waistband. She had to pull back to allow them to continue. "What I wish," it was startling how deftly her fingers were working with the ties on his pants - startling to both of them, "is to be able to see you. I do not think it's fair that you've seen me and I've never..." The ties came free. "...been given a chance to see any of you until today."

Her hands let go of the ties, and his pants dropped, the weight of the water pulling them down. "Don't you think that's unfair?" She'd begun kissing his shoulder and chest.

It was better than any dream. She was touching him, dragging her fingernails lightly along his skin, kissing his shoulder, chest, and working down toward his waist. She kneeled before him. That had never been a part of the dream! She pushed his pants underwater so he could step out of them, then tossed them next to his jacket.

He stood in front of her, wearing only his underwrappings. His shoulders were broader than she had imagined, and they sloped down to a slender, shapely waist. My god, he was beautiful. Biting her lower lip, she looked up at him expectantly.

"Sango... Are you certain..."

Pinning him with her dark, oh darker than ever, eyes, she replied, "Do I often change my mind?" He slowly shook his head no. "Then please..."

She drank in his form as he began unwinding his wrappings. As the last bits became freed, she saw the proof of his desire. Before he could say or do anything, she closed the distance. Still on her knees, she hesitantly reached out to touch.

"Oh!" The heat of her hand had caused his erection to twitch toward it, startling her. Slowly, she continued reaching, her fingers lightly brushing the velvety smooth skin that encased his now steel rod.

"Sango," he moaned, and she was encouraged. Leaning forward, for some reason she felt a desire and acted upon it.

"Sango!" he gasped. Quickly looking down, he saw her tongue delicately reaching out from her small mouth to lick light trails on his rod. The sight made him harden further. He could feel his erection getting longer. It had never been like this in even his wildest dreams.

She could tell he was pleased, and this emboldened her. Rising up just a bit, her mouth took the tip of his shaft into it, and his moan ripped out of him like tearing cloth. She used her tongue to swirl at the tip, as her head went up and down, her hands reaching behind him to grab his ass and pull him closer to her.

And then, he reached down and pulled her off. Pulled her up to him. Crushed her to him in a searing, passionate kiss. His tongue thrust boldly into her mouth, exploring her roughly. His hands worked her back muscles, one sliding down to grab at her ass and pull it toward his hips - his erection trapped against her lower belly.

His kiss, full of fire broke from her mouth, and moved to her earlobe, her neck - he was trying to devour her. One hand trailed from her back to her breast, kneading it and she moaned into his ear. The warm heat of her breath was like oxygen on his flame. His passion - he was letting it loose.

They had all claimed he had no restraint. He had incredible restraint. But it was gone now. His mouth worked down her shoulder. His hands grabbed her by the ass and picked her up so that his mouth could suckle at her breast. Licking, biting, teasing moans and purrs from her. Her legs wrapped around his waist.

She was out of control. Her hands were trying to pull him closer to her, he wasn't close enough yet. Her mouth strained to kiss some part of him. God, he felt... She needed more. More.

She felt his tip against her nether lips from her position around his waist, and she shifted her hips so that it entered just inside her folds.

More. More. She moaned her need.

Her breasts were perfect. They needed to be worshipped. His hands couldn't get enough. He was touching her all over. Each inch. She was being memorized. He felt her shift, felt her part and he began to enter her.

He moaned. She was on fire. For him. It would never be enough. She was too perfect. And she was moaning, asking him for more. Hands on her waist, he pulled her down so that he entered her fully.

He wasn't really surprised to find no barrier. He was certain she was a virgin, but with her chosen profession, it was physical - it wasn't unheard of that in that situation her maidenhead had already been broken.

He filled her. God, he filled her. Nothing had ever felt so right in her life. She could stay like this forever. This was bliss. Heaven.

And then he lifted her slowly, and she knew that it was only the beginning. "Mirokuuuuu," she moaned. "Oh, god!" He lowered her again, fully impaling her on his shaft, and she screamed, "YES!"

He'd never before known this, but he was sure that it wouldn't feel like this with anyone else. She was so tight around him, oh god help him, so tight! He wanted to be slow with her, but she was fire around him, he couldn't get enough. He latched onto her neck, kissing and sucking at the juncture to her shoulder, and set up a rhythm, lifting her up and down as he thrust in and out of her heaven. Her legs squeezed his waist tightly, and the rhythm continued.

Each downward thrust brought a scream, "YES!" from her lips, and soon he was moaning with her. She was screaming her passion. Finally, a wordless shriek burst from her, as she saw the world explode into motes of light, every atom that created her body vibrating with a pleasure that she'd never known.

He felt her body quiver, spasming around him, and saw the look of unbelievable bliss on her face, her head thrown back in ecstasy, and he fell into the abyss alongside her. "SANGO!" he groaned, as he spilled inside of her.

A few more thrusts to ride out the orgasm, and then he tightened his embrace, holding her to him so closely, his rod still firm inside her. "I love you, Sango," he whispered in her ear.

She shivered in his arms, "I love you, too, Miroku." He smiled softly.

Then walked to the deepest spot in the spring and dropped to his knees, submersing them both. The hot water felt cool after their activities, and they cleansed a bit, not talking.

Then, still not speaking, they walked toward their clothes to get dressed. As she pulled on her kimono, she ventured to speak. "Miroku?"

"Yes, my Sango?"

'He called me his!' "Did you mean what you said?"

"Every word. Which were you questioning?"

Blushing she replied, "The marriage thing."

He frowned a bit. "Oh." He tied his still wet pants on and shivered. He tried to keep his disappointment out of his voice as he continued, pulling his shirt over his head first, "If... you changed your mind, I would-"

She grabbed him by the shirtfront and stared him fiercely in the eye, "Not on your life! Kaede can make it official as soon as she comes back from the birth!"

His shoulders relaxed and he grinned broadly at her. Both were surprised at the tear that accompanied his smile. She kissed him on the cheek and then gathered up her wet uniform.

Without hesitating, she began sauntering down the path toward town. Over her shoulder she called back to him, "We should hurry. The longer we delay, the longer til we can start celebrating our wedding night."

He gaped at her a moment, and then began rushing to get dressed and follow her.

"Oh, Miroku, I was wondering... How many times a day do you think we can do that? Physically, I mean - without... breaking something?"

Trying hard to not sound too joyous, he put on his pious voice. "As that was the first time for me, I am uncertain. I suspect we'll just have to... experiment if we want to find out."

She nodded and blushed. She was his first! "I expect you know more about this than I. We'll have to just... find out then." She let her hand drop to her side, and was pleased when his fingers found hers and entwined with them.

"I look forward to discovering many things with you, wife."

Wife.

She smiled happily. "Miroku?"

"Yes, Sango?"

"Um. Are you as happy I tricked you as I am?"

He paused. If she had not, he most likely never would have admitted to her the depth of his feelings. And she would never have either. "More."

X


	6. ch6 Fate's Plan Pays Off Pt2

Lemon-scented Bath Salts of Fate & Time.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters. I make no profit off this story other than the ability to sleep at night because it's not longer pinging around in my skull.

Chapter 6 – Fate's plan pays off – part 2

She was dreaming. She knew that she was dreaming.

Because Inuyasha only said "I love you" to her in her dreams.

But something was dripping onto her cheek. She opened her eyes just a touch.

"Don't leave me. I love you. Please. Please." She heard the words, and her fluttering eyes saw Inuyasha's mouth moving in time with them. And a drop of water fell onto her cheek. It fell from his eye. He was crying. She was in his arms and he was crying.

Okay, she must still be dreaming.

"Inu- yasha?"

His eyes sought hers. Her eyes were open. She was looking at him. "Kagome!" And then, she was looking at his beautiful hair, as he pulled her into an almost bone-crunching hug. "Thank god. Thank god. Kagome," he breathed into her neck.

Holding her close, he breathed in her scent. She was alive. She was alright. He just wanted to hold onto this. She was so fragile. He knew it before, but seeing her like that had made it seem so much more. He could lose her at any time. "Kagome," he sighed in relief.

As he breathed in all things Kagome, she felt the cool air of his inhalation skating across where her shoulder and neck met - where he'd buried his face. Why was he holding her? She tried to take stock of her situation. She was in his arms. She was naked! Oh, my god. He was naked, too - she could feel his skin. As she realized it, she felt herself heat up.

'What the heck? Why are we both...

'Oh! Right. I'm DREAMING. Wow. This feels really real.' Part of her worried about that for half a second. But then she remembered. 'Definitely a dream. There's no WAY Inuyasha would say he loved me - let alone cry! Why the hell'd I think THAT up?'

Deciding to enjoy it, she wrapped her arms around his torso and snuggled in to his neck. "Mmm. Inuyasha," she murmured, and then began kissing and nipping at his neck.

Her scent overwhelmed him, and his relief had him too startled to notice that the youkai in him began humming awake. She was initiating mating! No, of course she wasn't initiating mating, his human side countered. 'What the hell is she doing?' the hanyou thought anxiously. 'She... must not be coherent! She did hit her head hard enough to knock her out.'

He grabbed her shoulders and pushed her a few inches away from him. "Kagome, are you alright?"

Shocked, she stared into his red-rimmed eyes. Okay, this had never happened before. Usually when she dreamed, everything went quickly toward kissing and hugging - and occasionally nakedness. And usually, she didn't know she was dreaming. And he was always brave and strong - he never EVER cried. "Inuyasha, have you been crying?" Her hand went up to his face, and her thumb brushed over his cheek where his tears had left a trail.

She was gazing up at him with such concern. But she wasn't behaving normally. Normal Kagome would not sit on his lap naked. Normal Kagome would be "sitting" him until she got some clothes on. And he was going to ignore her question as staunchly as he was going to ignore that he'd unconsciously leaned into her hand when she placed it on his face. Because of course he hadn't been crying! He shook his head to clear it and focus on what was important.

"Kagome, do you know where you are?"

Her smile was sultry. Sultry! "I'm in the bath with you." Her hand traced a pattern on his chest, trying to get the dream back on track.

Her scent changed slightly. Breathing her in, his groin stirred and he moaned. She was aroused. Okay, something was definitely not right.

Speaking very slowly, as if to a small, retarded child, "Do you remember at all what happened?"

Her hand traced up the side of his neck to his ear, where she began rubbing it. He let loose a rumble almost like a purr, and she knew he liked the attention she was giving him.

But her mind went back. What was he talking about? 'Do I remember...' She remembered jumping through the well and him following. The hose. Inuyasha with the rag. Her shower. Stepping into the bath - and that was all.

That was all! Her hand froze, and then she pulled back from him abruptly. The movement caused the dull pain in the back of her head - which she hadn't really been paying attention to - to flare. Her hand - that had just been seducing his ear began gingerly probing the back of her head. There was a knot there.

And it struck her. This wasn't a dream! She let out an "Eep!" and tried to cover herself with her arms. But still being mostly on his lap, it wasn't very effective.

Now THIS was more Kagome. She was okay. Really okay. One hand reached out for a towel, and threw it on top of her torso so she'd feel less insecure.

He was so relieved, he began to laugh.

Clutching the towel to her, she began to question him angrily. "What's so funny? And why are you in here, anyway? Why does my head hurt? What happened?"

He muttered, "Thank god. She's really okay," ignoring her questions and continuing to chuckle in relief.

"Stop laughing at me!" She glared at him. "What the heck is going on?"

"Stupid girl," he replied, still chuckling, "You hit your head." His hand brushed the knot lightly and she hissed through her teeth at the contact. That sobered him up. He remembered that she could have died, and his fear gripped him. Angrily he said, "I don't want you using this room any more."

"What the hell are you talking about? This is my bathroom. Of course I'm going to use it."

"No. It's too dangerous. It's not built right. You can bathe at the hot springs. With Sango."

"Right! So you and Miroku can come and spy on us? Didn't you get enough of an eyeful tonight?" she yelled at him, and then blushed. She still hadn't vacated his lap.

"What does Miroku have to do with anything?" he yelled back at her. "You're not using this room again, and that's that!" The thought of her alone in this room without him there had him completely panicked.

"You don't own me! You can't tell me what to do!" she hollered, and he recoiled as if slapped.

Of course he didn't. It was just she was sitting on his lap. And she'd almost died. And then she'd been nipping him on the neck. And he'd forgotten. How had he forgotten that she would never ever be his?

He lifted her off his lap and set her down gently in the tub. She tried to keep her gaze averted from his skin, but failed. He pulled his yukata tight around him and stood, muttering, "Just be more careful, okay?" He sounded defeated.

Her mind flashed to the sound she'd first heard when she came to. His voice. Saying...

He began to step out of the tub and she blurted, "Inuyasha, don't leave!" Her voice sounded frightened. He stopped where he stood but didn't turn look at her.

"Did... Did you really tell me... I thought I was dreaming. I dreamed you said..." She saw his shoulders tense, and said, "Tell me the truth, Inuyasha."

"I... I don't know what you're yammerin' about." His voice sounded flat with the lie, even to him. And while he was speaking, his mind was trying to piece together the implications of what she was asking. She thought she was dreaming? That was why she had snuggled with him and nipped his neck? She thought she was dreaming. Wait. Wait a minute.

She could tell he wasn't being honest. She HAD heard him say it. And if she wasn't dreaming... She wasn't dreaming! She'd hit her head, and he found her unconscious. Her mind replayed him mumbling while laughing, "Thank god, she's really okay." He was worried about her. He HAD been crying. Hope began to make her heart clench. He had thought she...

She'd thought it was a dream and she had done what would initiate mating. He was pretty sure she knew that nipping the neck was the first step, and even if she hadn't, she'd been flirting with him. Touching his chest. Looking at him like that. Did that mean in her dreams she did that often? He remembered how sometimes her scent while she was sleeping would spike and drive him even more crazy than normal. Did that mean...

She began to question him again. "Did you think...? You said..." He'd been holding her and crying. He'd begged her not to leave him. He'd said he loved her. She gasped. "Inuyasha, did you mean it when you said you loved me?"

"I..." He didn't know what to say. Did she dream of mating with him? It was impossible, wasn't it? He was a filthy hanyou. If he told her the truth, she'd laugh at him, and then they wouldn't be friends anymore. He could put up with never having her, but to lose her completely...

He just stood there looking miserable. But was he miserable because he said it and didn't mean it, or because... And she remembered Sango telling them both to leave for the clean up, and she knew. That wasn't it.

She stood up quickly to confront him, and the shifting gravities affected her head. She began to lose her balance. Her hands reached out to try to find some support, and she dropped her towel in the process.

He sensed her falling and quickly swooped down to steady her, his hands on her waist. He was peering anxiously in her eyes to see if she was okay or going to pass out. She might be Kagome again, but she'd been hurt.

He was looking in her eyes. And she knew it was now or never. If she didn't tell him now, she might never be able to. "I love you, Inuyasha." Her arms wrapped around his neck, and she pressed her lips against his.

He was too shocked to react immediately. Her scent was making his youkai rage. 'She's ours! She wants us! CLAIM HER!' 'Don't! You'll hurt her!' He struggled to keep control. And by the time he pushed his demon down and his brain kicked in, she had pulled back.

Looking away from him, she began to ramble. "It's okay. I... hit my head. I'm probably remembering it wrong. God, I'm so stupid. Way to go, Kagome. Of course he doesn't love you. He loves Kikyo." She felt her own tears start to build in her eyes. "I... I'll just-"

"You... love me?" She wouldn't look at him. The sound of tears hitting the water they were standing in was the only sound in the room. And then.

He pulled her to him and his lips crushed against hers. Her eyes flew open and she saw his closed, his expression was so intense that she sighed into him. Her own eyes closed as she kissed him back.

His hands ran down her back, and she moaned. As her lips parted, his tongue darted in to taste her. Her knees gave out, but he was holding her up, holding her to him as if he would never, ever let her go.

They parted for breath, and he breathed her name. "Kagome." She smelled good. She smelled good and right and his. The demon inside was beating at him. Trying to get out. 'Take her or I'll take her for us!' It was taking everything he had to not just lift her those few inches height difference. Only his complete love for her, and the knowledge that she'd just been injured was giving him the strength to hold on.

She buried her face in his neck, and her hands grasped onto his back tightly. 'He kissed me. He loves me he kissed me!' Holding him so tight, she felt him - his need. He was huge with need. For her! Blushing, she murmured, "Do you... Inuyasha..."

His voice was very tight as he spoke, "Tell me. Need to know. What you want."

His voice was so strained that she pulled back and looked up at him. Stripes were on his face, and she could see his eyes straining from amber to red and back again. The stripes faded and came back up. His expression was anguished, like he was warring within himself, and she hadn't a clue why. But he needed something. She was sure of it.

"What is it, Inuyasha? What's going on?" She leaned up and held his face in both her hands. "What can I do to help?"

His eyes flashed red, and he growled, "MINE!" and bit he neck. He drew a little blood, but she instinctively knew it was passion, not violence that was driving him. And then he pulled back abruptly.

Stripes disappeared and red faded to Amber as he yelled at himself, "NO! No one hurts Kagome! We can't have her!" He didn't realize he was actually speaking out loud. Kagome watched the exchange, too taken aback to do anything.

In the time it took to blink, the markings of the demon were back. "Want her. She's ours!" His claws began squeezing her breast, and she felt a firebolt shoot from the tips of his fingers through her abdomen and explode into white heat between her legs.

And then the stripes were gone again and he shook his head violently, "She's NOT ours! She would never want us!" He didn't remove his hand from her breast, just held it in her hand.

And red again, "Smell! She wants us. She is our MATE! TAKE HER! Do not disappoint our bitch!" His claw trailed down her stomach and she shivered in response.

He was just about to reach her curls when he changed back and pulled his hand away. "She doesn't love us like that. We can't hurt her. She doesn't-"

"Yes. She does." She'd heard enough. He loved her. He loved her. He wanted her. He wanted her enough to have to fight his own demon because he wanted to keep her safe. He'd never done anything like that for Kikyo. He wouldn't have. She knew it. "I love you, Inuyasha, and if you want me, I AM yours."

He stood frozen in place, but his features continued in their war.

"I love hanyou Inuyasha, and youkai Inuyasha, and human Inuyasha."

The features stopped shifting somewhere between demon and hanyou, and he still didn't move. So she took his hand and set it back where he'd left off. "I know that you would never hurt me. Never." Taking his other hand, she placed it on her breast and leaned in toward him. "But I want you so badly, it hurts inside. So please..."

Gazing down into her eyes, he saw hunger that matched his own. The struggle became harder, and his eyes shifted a hair toward red. "You. WANT to be my mate?" He had to make it clear. This wasn't just a one time thing. This was for life! She'd be with him forever. She couldn't possibly want that! And if he got a taste of her, he wouldn't be able to stop from marking her as his own. The fact that he had to battle his demon side proved it.

His voice had sounded incredulous. And hopeful.

"I want you always, Inuyasha. I love you."

A growl bubbled up from within, and he attacked her neck again. One hand massaged her breast, and the other lifted her up so that he could carry her to a good place in the furo.

She felt the water rise over her body, and rejoiced in the heat that matched her own. His mouth worked down from her neck to her breast and she moaned. "Oh, god, Inuyasha!" A hand parted her legs, and she flushed at being so exposed until his fingers began playing her. Clawtips traced lightly over each fold and she shuddered. Then one tip flicked across a certain spot, and she gasped. He looked at her face and saw sheer ecstasy on it.

He growled in satisfaction and began alternating light touches and flicks in that location to see her reactions.

Her hand reached up to his ear and began to stroke it gently, using her fingernails to scritch the skin beneath the fur. His growls changed pitch, and she knew he was enjoying it. She was determined to give him as much pleasure as he was giving her.

The fleshy part of his thumb was stroking downward on her button, and the tip of his claw grazed it lightly on the upstroke. That left his other fingers free to explore. They found her opening and she moaned, her ministrations on his ear slowing. Carefully, he inserted one finger while maintaining the rhythm with his thumb.

"Oh!" she gasped, and her eyes were shut in delight. His finger joined the timing of his thumb, and her hand dropped away from his ear entirely. Her arms were flung wide from her body, fingers splayed, and he smiled. In and out, up and down, not missing a beat until he felt her walls clamp down and something wetter than the water they were in coated his finger.

The look on her face - he would never forget. It was the best thing he'd ever seen. He wanted to see it again.

A second finger joined the first inside her, and she screamed, "Oh, my GOD!" and burst into another orgasm. Pumping her furiously now, he slowly added a third finger, stretching her as he did. Her hips were thrusting toward his hand now, and the look of wild abandon on her face was his - only his. He bent down toward her, sucking her nipple into his mouth, and she shrieked his name as she came yet again.

She was ready. God, she was wet. She was panting, and the smell of her pleasure was driving him crazy. He removed his fingers and she whimpered at the loss. That did it. The demon burst forth, and he captured Kagome's lips in a crushing kiss as he knelt between her knees.

She spread as wide as she could for him, and opened her eyes to look into his burning red ones. She knew he was full demon now, yet she just smiled and said, "Please, Inuyasha, I need you!" Her hips lifted, seeking his. His growl was one of pure satisfaction. He readied his tip between her lips and he slowly eased into her.

God, she was tight. He knew he had to be careful or he'd hurt her so he forced the demon back. She saw his eyes fade down to the gold she knew so well. As he reached her barrier, he looked her in the eyes and said, "Are you sure you want ME?"

Oh, how she loved him. She reached with both hands and grabbed his ass. Then thrusting up with her hips, she pulled him into her quickly. She didn't even register the pain. A single tear escaping down one cheek was the only sign she gave of discomfort. But a growl of pleasure rumbled from her lips in one word, "Yeesssssssssss!"

She was his. She was his. She wanted him. His lips latched onto hers, as he pulled out and then thrust into he again. Each time he slid back in was punctuated with a gasp or a moan that burst from her mouth into his. Their tongues traced each other, and she felt the tips of his teeth, sharp but careful not to hurt her.

He let go of her mouth as their pace increased. She fell over a cliff into an explosion of light unlike anything she'd ever felt. This made all his previous efforts truly just seem like... well, foreplay. THIS was why so many people were so fascinated with sex. She thought this between shrieks of pleasure.

Her sounds were pleasing to his demon. She was so tight, so perfect. She was his bitch, his mate. She would be his mate always. The demon had no need to burst forth any more. But he did continue to give suggestions, and unthinkingly, the hanyou began to give them voice.

"I love hearing your pleasure. Scream louder for me." She didn't even consciously register the request. She was inches away from another crest. But her volume increased regardless.

Pounding into her furiously, he felt her crest again and he gave voice to the demon again, "Are you my bitch, Kagome?"

Her head was flung back in pleasure. She was a sheet floating on the wind. He was the wind. He was everything. "YESSSSSS!" she shrieked as loudly as she could, coming again so quickly, she didn't know how it was possible. Every nerve was dedicated to pleasure. Every nerve was his.

"Tell me, Kagome," he growled.

Conscious thought was completely gone, yet somehow she screamed out the words he wanted, "I! AM! YOUR! BITCH! INU! YAAHSHHAAAAA!" She crested again. As she was coming down, she panted, "I'm yours. I'm yours. I'm yours."

It was too much. Hearing her submit to him as his mate - his mate! - he thrust harder, faster, and then bit into the juncture of her shoulder and neck as he came deep within her.

She felt the connection like current. She completed the circuit, biting into his as well, biting hard enough to break his skin. He was her mate. Forever, the current said. She came again around him, as he continued to come inside her. She felt each pulse of his cock in her, each jet that released in her, and briefly she wondered where she was in her cycle. But the picture of cute little Inu-babies just made her smile. If she'd had any doubts before about loving him, that alone would have set them to rest.

The smile had made her teeth release their hold on his skin. Without thinking, she began to lick at the blood that welled up, cleaning it.

When she released his mark, thought became more lucid. Then she began caring for the mark, and he felt the connection to her - like a hand stroking his back.

His teeth let go of their own hold on her, and he cleaned her wound with his tongue. She shivered at the feeling. It was like he was breathing on her nipples and clit at the same time. Holy crap!

He pulled back to look at her, uncertain of her reaction - had she really wanted this? Would she really be okay with it? Wouldn't she have regrets?

Briefly, her mind recalled all that she'd screamed during sex. It was like being seen through a haze, but she knew it had all really happened.

Smiling at him, she said, "Let's get something straight right now, okay?" He looked like he was terrified, so she quickly continued, "When we're alone like this, you can call me your bitch all you want. But if you ever call me your bitch in front of Sango or Miroku - or anyone else! - I swear I will sit you so hard!"

"Kagome, I-" he stuttered.

And she smiled gently, lightly stroking her mark. "I'd really prefer you called me your mate with them. Okay?"

She was happy. She was his mate, and she was happy! He didn't know what else to say. "I love you, Kagome."

"Good, 'cuz now I think you're pretty much stuck with me!" He had never EVER seen her this happy. EVER.

Being with him made her happy!

He picked her up and pulled her into his lap, holding her close to him. She sighed into his shoulder, content. Until she felt a tapping on her head. Tapping that then spread into dampness. He was crying.

She tried to pull away, but he had her head tucked under his chin and was not letting her go. She whispered, "Inuyasha, what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong."

She counted to five. "Then why are you crying?"

She waited for his response. And waited. "Inuyasha?"

"Idiot! I'm just happy, okay?"

"Oh." She felt like she had the goofiest grin on her face in the history of the world. "Me too." So happy.

"Um. Inuyasha?"

"What!" He sounded exasperated and content at the same time.

Her stomach growled as she said, "You want to go get some ramen?"

X

Several hours later, clean clothes on their backs, a pack full of ramen, and some pepto bismol for the kitsune, they walked back toward the well house.

"Inuyasha?"

"Yes, bitch?" She tried to glare at him, but was too happy to make it effective.

"Do you want to... drop everything off with Kaede and then come back and spend the night here?"

Puzzled, "What for?"

"Well..." She blushed. "My family's not coming home tonight and... I thought you might want to call me your bitch some more." She pointedly didn't look at him. Just opened the door to the well house and walked inside. "Since you did promise that you wouldn't call me that there."

Blustering to cover his own blush, "Eh, you LIKE being my bitch."

"You think so? Well how 'bout this?" She stood on the lip of the well and looked him in the eyes, smirking. "We come back here tonight, and you can take your bitch doggy-style." With that, she jumped into the well, not waiting for a response.

Smiling, he leaped into the well after her.

- FIN -


End file.
